Another autonomous lawn mower has hit the field. The RoboUp (made by a company of the same name) is offering a no-perimeter-wire real-time kinematic (RTK) artificial intelligence (AI) robot lawn mower.
The mower uses an RTK module built into the charging station and AI real-time recognition support to automatically measure and profile a yard without any perimeter wiring or other installation.
RoboUp’s dynamic exact positioning system integrates RTK, visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to offer precise positioning with centimeter-level accuracy. It can also detect boundaries and identify obstacles and will stop cutting when it reaches either.
The robot lawn mower is powered by a maintenance-free brushless motor, which enables it to climb a 45% slope and cut different types of lawns, including over tough terrain. RoboUP is equipped with adjustable cutting heights of 30 mm to 60 mm and 20 cm width and can adjust the height of the cutting disc to match the terrain.
The mower can be controlled with its own app, which identifies the conditions of the user’s yard and generates a recommended cutting schedule. Additionally, it integrates with smart home systems and can be controlled by voice commands.
ComNav Technology now provides a GNSS high-precision positioning solution for navigation and positioning of autonomous lawn mowers. Environmentally friendly and intelligent robotic lawn mowers are growing more popular, making the mowing task easier, safer and more convenient.
R&D background
It is difficult to develop autonomous lawn mowers because they obtain navigation information by means of visual and acoustic sensors, usually through embedded cables in the working area and detection through eddy current sensors. The shortcomings are obvious: before the mower starts, it must be set up with cables and other equipment. Cable requirements differ in various countries, and cable laying can be complicated, wasting resources and money.
With these difficulties in mind, ComNav applied its K8 series of GNSS high-precision modules to lawn mowers to break through the application limit. It solved this accuracy problem to make the lawn mower achieve centimeter-level driving according to the setup path in an open field. With ComNav’s other technologies — quantum algorithm and LAI, HighLock, PPP, RTK-KEEP — the law mowers continues to operate under trees, around corners or in other obscured areas.
Introduction of ComNav’s solution
With the K8 series module, ComNav facilitates the lawn mower’s fieldwork with position data provided by GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS, IRNSS and SBAS.
The high-precision positioning system for lawn mowers consists of a base station and a rover station. Three solutions are recommended for the terminal to obtain differential data from the base station.
Base and rover datalink. A base station acquires differential data through a datalink and provides corrections to the rover. The rover station — comprising the parts installed on the lawn mower, including the GNSS antenna, the GNSS high-precision module, datalink and UHF antenna — enables centimeter-level positioning and navigation.
Image: ComNav
Local CORS network. Utilizing existed local CORS, the rover station obtains differential data from the CORS service, enabling the lawn mower to achieve positioning and navigation accuracy on a centimeter level.
Image: ComNav
Self-built CORS network. Base stations can be placed anywhere based on requirements. Doing so eliminates the worry about prevailing conditions and makes high-precision positioning and navigation of lawn mowers possible.
Image: ComNav
Technology Features
LAI technology. ComNav’s patented low-power anti-interference (LAI) technology provides a jamming-to-signal ratio of up to 50 dB. Power consumption is only 0.1 W when turned on. By quickly detecting and eliminating interference with simple settings, LAI technology can reduce failure time and ensure safe operation. The technology can generate a spectrum diagram of interference sources, enabling identification of interference types and potential interference sources.
Quantum algorithm. ComNav’s quantum algorithm has sophisticated technology for detecting and repairing cycle slips. It uses full-constellation and full-frequency tracking capabilities along with multi-frequency combination, model and parameter estimation. Quantum is able to eliminate errors caused by the ionosphere, the troposphere and multipath in seconds. As a result, the initialization time of real-time kinematic (RTK) is greatly shortened and precision and reliability are improved. Meanwhile, the extra-long baseline calculation capability expands the operation range.
RTK-KEEP technology. By estimating model and parameter values, RTK-KEEP Technology can reduce errors caused by satellite orbit, clock difference, ionosphere and troposphere when the base station’s data is lost. Centimeter-level accuracy can be kept for more than 10 minutes, greatly improving the availability of RTK.
Benefits of ComNav’s Solution
ComNav’s solution allows the lawn mower to achieve centimeter-level positioning and reduce mowing repetitions. It helps the lawnmower to operate safely and reliably in the corners, under trees, or in other places where satellite signals are weak or lost. With its strong anti-interference capabilities, the lawn mower can maintain continuous and effective positioning in complex environments, meeting the needs of a variety of applications.
Segway has launched a smart lawn mower, the Navimow. The autonomous mower uses GNSS to navigate and stay inside the programmed perimeter, set in an accompanying smartphone app.
According to Segway, Navimow uses a GNSS-based “Extra Fusion Locating System” that help the mower achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy while mapping out a working perimeter. Rather than using a perimeter wire to prevent the lower from leaving grid, Navimow combines multi-sensory data to create a virtual map while cutting grass in addition to using GNSS.
The company has introduced four models, for lawns ranging from 500 square meters to 3,000 square meters. All cut lawns from 30-60 millimeters on a maximum slope of 45 degrees.
During its runtime, the robot uses its smart navigation system and intricately plans the most effective cutting route. When necessary, it can make changes in direction to create a systematic pattern.
A new start-up has introduced an autonomous lawn mower to bring intelligence, automation and sustainable solutions to commercial landscaping. The first autonomous lawn mower by Graze is set to hit the market this year.
The electric lawn mower is designed to increase efficiency and maintenance speed for mid- to large-sized commercial lawns, enhance cutting blades to perfect trim precision, add new sensor capabilities to increase safety, and improve GPS-based mapping and computer vision while optimizing intelligent and applicable insights through advanced machine-learning capabilities.
Analyst reports have found landscaping services in the U.S. generated $101.7 billion in revenue in 2020, while commercial landscaping services (maintenance and general services) have been projected to range between 40 and 60 percent of the overall landscaping service industry in the U.S. Yet, despite the major opportunity to capitalize on an approximate $53B market, commercial lawn mowing has remained an undisrupted industry. Small margins, labor limitations and increasing scrutiny on environmental impact has been met with a lack of impactful solutions.
Graze’s initial prototype attracted investors from major operators as well as individuals on crowdfunding platform SeedInvest.
“We are living in new era of artificial intelligence that stands to transform age-old industries,” said John Vlay, Graze Mowing CEO. “Robotics and automation open up a world of efficiency, and when you apply intelligence, traditional models can be completely reimagined. I’ve been in commercial landscaping for more than 35 years, and can confidently say we built a lawn mower that will bring a new level of quality and safety to the market, and we are doing it sustainably. We are excited to unveil the future of commercial lawn-mowing with our new Graze commercial mower.”
The new model optimizes features and incorporates in-the-field feedback. It has a longer battery life. It can consistently learn and apply data via an intuitive user experience, improving lawn care and creating new optimization opportunities for fleet operators.
Machine learning, coupled with computer vision and a robust system of sensors, allows the new Graze commercial mower to map job sites, plan and execute mowing paths, and avoid obstacles and dangerous inclines while continuously collecting and apply data to further improve aesthetic quality and efficiency.
Powered completely by electric and solar panel technology, the new model allows operators to maximize revenue by deploying mowers during evening hours. Fuel costs are drastically cut, as are carbon emissions. Current fleet operators manage 500 to 1,000 mowers.
Graze is backed by lead investor Wavemaker Partners, a global venture capital fund with $400 million in assets under management including Wavemaker Labs, a robotics and automation focused venture studio.
